| Summary: | Expert Urges Better Airport: Chamber Of Commerce Learns How Airplane Progress Demands Facilities. EXPERT URGES BETTER AIRPORT Chamber of Commerce Learns How Airplane Progress Demands Facilities. That Spokane and all cities of the Pacific northwest must be alert to rapid-fire developments in aviation in the near future was emphasized by Dr. Raymond Staub, chairman of the Oregon aeronautic board, Tuesday at the weekly luncheon of the Chamber of Commerce Improvements and enlargements of airplanes are making all airfields of the present day virtually obsolete, said Dr. Staub. He pointed out that there are only four fields in the country, and none in the west, adequate to permit the landing of the latest type bombing planes when loaded with bombs. For the sake of an adequate defense in the west, Dr. Staub urged that airports be built large enough to care for planes of all conceivable sizes. He spoke of the Russian flights over the north pole as showing the possibility of invasion of the west coast. Both Dr. Staub and Lieutenant Colonel Earl C. Popp, regional supervisor, bureau of air commerce, urged upon Spokane the necessity of constructing a new airport, to be used in addition to Felts field. Felts field, they commented, is not fit for blind flying, because of the hill to the north. Blind flying, using only instruments in a heavy fog, requires a field unobstructed in any direction. Also, it was pointed out by the aviation experts that Felts field is not adequate for cross-wind landings. Possible Sites Viewed. Hart Snyder, chairman of the special chamber airport-studying committee, took Colonel Popp Tuesday afternoon to sites so far selected. Colonel Popp stated that he had not yet found a city the size of Spokane that could not use two airports to great advantage. When Spokane aviation men have selected the best available sites for the new airport, the bureau of air commerce will send a man here to rate the sites, said Colonel Popp Dr. Staub urged that the state of Washington have an aeronautic board, and told some of the accomplishments of the Oregon board. He praised the northwest aviation planning council as an organization that should do much among the congressmen of the Pacific northwest, giving them a chance to compete with California in getting aviation benefits, He called the Alaska air route a coming gold mine" for all Pacific northwest cities.
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